What is Lactic- Acid Fermentation? Lactic acid fermentation is a type of anaerobic respiration or fermentation in which sugars and starches are changed into energy the body can use when oxygen is not present. Lactic acid is an after product of fermentation. The equation is CH3 CHOHCOOH.

To begin the glycolysis process, activation occurs. When this occurs it gets two molecules of ATP and relatively stable glucose molecules. Then it changes to fructose bisphosphate. After this glycolysis loses two ATP molecules. After the first step comes the energy harvest in which the fructose bisphosphate molecule is splited into two smaller, energy-charged molecules of glyceraldehyde phosphate. So by doing this it gains again two molecules. After it gains two molecules of glyceraldehyde phosphate the molecules are changed into one molecule of pyruvate, two of ATP, and an energy-carrier molecule called NADH.

After Glycolysis and entering the Krebs Cycle the pyruvate molecules go to the outside of the cytoplasm and into the mitochondria. Then a coenzyme gets a molecule of carbon dioxide and hold on to two-carbon molecules outcome being acetyl coenzyme. Then the acetyl coenzyme a goes through five reactions. The first, it is added to carbon and then split off. Every time another reaction happens it uses up one acetyl coenzyme but it then produces three NADH molecules, one ATP, and FADH2. These molecules move on to the electron-transport chain.

Lactic acid fermentation could be hurtful and dangerous, because when the body doesn’t use oxygen and switches over to Lactic acid fermentation and the lactic acid does not burn right lactic acid can build up and clog. For example, muscle cells, once the muscle doesn’t burn lactic acid correctly the muscle feels fatigued and stops contracting. More dangerous risk are arteries leading to that particular muscle may suffer the consequences of being clogged too. Or lactic acid can build up around the cells and deprive them of oxygen.

An example of Lactic acid fermentation in action is a canoeist. Lactic acid builds up when you are doing arduous workouts so in order for lactic acid to build up the canoeist needs to be doing a hard, hard workout. The canoeist increases his stroke rate and he tries to deliver the most possible amount of oxygen he can in his lungs but the body can not do but so much. So he needs an extra boost of energy that his muscle can produce without using oxygen and this is when lactic acid builds up. This will help the canoeist but there is a punishment for the use, lactic acid can build up in his muscles and bring muscle fatigue and pain.